A small carnivore, 23–75 cm long, with a small head, a flattened skull, a pointed muzzle, and short, rounded ears, that hunts small vertebrates and also eats eggs, crabs, and carrion. Mongooses are fast and agile, allowing them to kill venomous snakes. Some species live in complex burrow systems, others in trees, and some species are highly social. There are 20 genera with 34 species comprising the family Herpestidae, with most found in Africa, and others in southern Asia and southern Europe.